For Wednesday, March 29
Paid Work in Progress: piano translation
Status: Part 3, Section 1
Start Date: March 10
Columns Today: A little over three
Feelings: bummed at so little
Comments: Like I've said before, each column is basically a full page in a reasonably sized book, so I shouldn't kick myself too much. And John gave back the other copy of the book, so we are having to flip back and forth to reach the separate parts we are each working on. I let myself get too distracted with him sitting right next to me, so I catch myself blabbing at him and preventing both of us working at 100%. But today was much better, so I hope to have better results to post tomorrow.
Creative Work in Progress: Dirty Work (aka Godred story)
Status: still working on the end of the first half, but I think I'm finally on the right track
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Wednesday, March 29, 2006
For Tuesday, March 28
Paid Work in Progress: piano book translation
Status: Part 3
(Part 3 is divided into three sections, which are further subdivided.)
Start Date: March 10
Pages to Date: pp. 51-96
Almost to the end of the first section to Part 3. Just two subsections to go! (about 10 pages)
Creative Work in Progress: Dirty Work (aka Godred story)
Status: stuck at the end of the first half
I'm working on it--sheesh! Isn't there something else you are supposed to be paying attention to, like over there? *runs away while your head is turned*
Paid Work in Progress: piano book translation
Status: Part 3
(Part 3 is divided into three sections, which are further subdivided.)
Start Date: March 10
Pages to Date: pp. 51-96
Almost to the end of the first section to Part 3. Just two subsections to go! (about 10 pages)
Creative Work in Progress: Dirty Work (aka Godred story)
Status: stuck at the end of the first half
I'm working on it--sheesh! Isn't there something else you are supposed to be paying attention to, like over there? *runs away while your head is turned*
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
Work in Progree: Nothing
I know what a total loser I am. But my valid, and promise only temporary, excuse is that I started back to work. Not that the job is temporary; hopefully it will be a long and cushy one. But it will only take me a little bit to get back into the swing of being a responsible, card carrying adult again.
That said-Way to go Nee on all your progress. Love new ideas. Feel they relieves stress from the boring editing phase. Since I have an edit job I have ignored, but promise to make noticeable progress by end of week, and a newer idea being panned out at the same time, I think it's great you've got something new to get excited about. BTW-I'm stuck at the door with my two Roberts. Haven't gotten any further, will need large doses of nagging/praise.
Yours: Where is Godred? Anytime now would be fine. I'm waiting. How exciting!
Goal: Literary peace
I know what a total loser I am. But my valid, and promise only temporary, excuse is that I started back to work. Not that the job is temporary; hopefully it will be a long and cushy one. But it will only take me a little bit to get back into the swing of being a responsible, card carrying adult again.
That said-Way to go Nee on all your progress. Love new ideas. Feel they relieves stress from the boring editing phase. Since I have an edit job I have ignored, but promise to make noticeable progress by end of week, and a newer idea being panned out at the same time, I think it's great you've got something new to get excited about. BTW-I'm stuck at the door with my two Roberts. Haven't gotten any further, will need large doses of nagging/praise.
Yours: Where is Godred? Anytime now would be fine. I'm waiting. How exciting!
Goal: Literary peace
Monday, March 27, 2006
For Monday, March 27
Work in Progress: New short story, no name yet
I know! I always have a hard time sleeping on Sunday night--partly from staying up later on Friday and Saturday, partly because I know Hannah has to be at school at 7:45 on Monday morning--and it was made worse by the time change (we sprang forward already here in Europe) last night. So as I lay there not sleeping, I came up with the start of a new short story. I jotted down what I had during my lunch break today and came up with 2/3 of a handwritten page. Now, Kee could sneeze and come up with more words than that, but for me, it's not too bad.
It seems stupid for me to be starting new stories when I have a basket of partials already, including one I am actively wrestling with, but on the other hand, I live in fear that one day the ideas will dry up, so I have to grab what comes my way while it's still happening.
I got the idea from reading the blog of an agent, and she said that if she sees another story (probably novel, actually) start with someone kneeling in the forest gathering herbs, she will choke. So my guy is kneeling, but he just wants the plant to sell it, and he gets kicked from behind and crushes it. Well, it sounds better than that on paper. ;-p Plus there's zombies chasing them. Zombies make every story better.
Work in Progress: New short story, no name yet
I know! I always have a hard time sleeping on Sunday night--partly from staying up later on Friday and Saturday, partly because I know Hannah has to be at school at 7:45 on Monday morning--and it was made worse by the time change (we sprang forward already here in Europe) last night. So as I lay there not sleeping, I came up with the start of a new short story. I jotted down what I had during my lunch break today and came up with 2/3 of a handwritten page. Now, Kee could sneeze and come up with more words than that, but for me, it's not too bad.
It seems stupid for me to be starting new stories when I have a basket of partials already, including one I am actively wrestling with, but on the other hand, I live in fear that one day the ideas will dry up, so I have to grab what comes my way while it's still happening.
I got the idea from reading the blog of an agent, and she said that if she sees another story (probably novel, actually) start with someone kneeling in the forest gathering herbs, she will choke. So my guy is kneeling, but he just wants the plant to sell it, and he gets kicked from behind and crushes it. Well, it sounds better than that on paper. ;-p Plus there's zombies chasing them. Zombies make every story better.
Sunday, March 26, 2006
For Friday
Work in Progress: piano book translation
I got through a couple of book pages, a couple of pages short of where I had planned, but oh well. Tomorrow is another day, right Scarlett?
Other Work in Progress: Dirty Work (aka the Godred story)
I think I already mentioned that I got 10 typed pages the other night, and now I've been tweaking them and trying to get the end of the first half nailed. It's going to Kee at that point, but let me know if you want to see it, too. The more, the merrier, since I have no idea where I could possibly shop it to, and you all may end up being the only audience for it, ever. ;-p
Work in Progress: piano book translation
I got through a couple of book pages, a couple of pages short of where I had planned, but oh well. Tomorrow is another day, right Scarlett?
Other Work in Progress: Dirty Work (aka the Godred story)
I think I already mentioned that I got 10 typed pages the other night, and now I've been tweaking them and trying to get the end of the first half nailed. It's going to Kee at that point, but let me know if you want to see it, too. The more, the merrier, since I have no idea where I could possibly shop it to, and you all may end up being the only audience for it, ever. ;-p
Friday, March 24, 2006
Work on Week 3/20-3/24
Work in Progress: RANSOM
Status: No work this week
Feeling: like Nee's kicking my butt, like the reality of life is too much sometimes and I wish I could delve into the fantasy in the books I write (attempt to write)
Comments: Nee's comments on Ch 1 kick a**, love 'em, love 'em. Blatant praise is my only motivating factor. Let's see what happens over the weekend.
Work in Progress: RANSOM
Status: No work this week
Feeling: like Nee's kicking my butt, like the reality of life is too much sometimes and I wish I could delve into the fantasy in the books I write (attempt to write)
Comments: Nee's comments on Ch 1 kick a**, love 'em, love 'em. Blatant praise is my only motivating factor. Let's see what happens over the weekend.
Thursday, March 23, 2006
Work in Progress: Godred story
Original Title: Reason #76 to do your own dirty work
Current Title: Dirty Work
Status: writing in fits and starts
Format: short story
Words to Date: 9 hand-written pages, plus previous work to be scavenged for parts
Comments: Tonight I hope to type up my 9 pages, add about one paragraph, then add another couple of pages of scavenged work. Then later tonight or tomorrow I need to add a bit more, and the first half will be done. So look out for it comin' your way, Kee!
Original Title: Reason #76 to do your own dirty work
Current Title: Dirty Work
Status: writing in fits and starts
Format: short story
Words to Date: 9 hand-written pages, plus previous work to be scavenged for parts
Comments: Tonight I hope to type up my 9 pages, add about one paragraph, then add another couple of pages of scavenged work. Then later tonight or tomorrow I need to add a bit more, and the first half will be done. So look out for it comin' your way, Kee!
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Thanks, WesTexGirl, for the reminder to get my butt in gear and put something up here!
I know for a fact that Kee has been writing, but she has had some interruptions in the form of
1. her kids' Spring Break (now over)
2. a job interview (and subsequently turning down said job, repeatedly) *g*
3. our grandfather passing away and all the family weirdness that has stirred up. [We are not as blessed as WesTexGirl in all of our family relations. *wry gin*]
As for me, I have reached that stage in my translation where I feel like the gnomes/fairies in the Ren and Stimpy episode: *sings* "Working, working, working...dying, dying, dying...and then we work some more!" I'm chugging along and picking up speed, but I still don't *quite* make it as far as I plan each day. Oh, well, if I weren't doing this, I would be cleaning house or otherwise doing some useless school work.
I know for a fact that Kee has been writing, but she has had some interruptions in the form of
1. her kids' Spring Break (now over)
2. a job interview (and subsequently turning down said job, repeatedly) *g*
3. our grandfather passing away and all the family weirdness that has stirred up. [We are not as blessed as WesTexGirl in all of our family relations. *wry gin*]
As for me, I have reached that stage in my translation where I feel like the gnomes/fairies in the Ren and Stimpy episode: *sings* "Working, working, working...dying, dying, dying...and then we work some more!" I'm chugging along and picking up speed, but I still don't *quite* make it as far as I plan each day. Oh, well, if I weren't doing this, I would be cleaning house or otherwise doing some useless school work.
Saturday, March 18, 2006
Work in Progress: translation
I haven't been keeping track of my daily totals for the last couple of days, but I have now officially completed 13 book pages (not including the page John did as a trial when he took on the job). Fortunately, there are a lot of excerpts of music in this section, so that reduces the amount of text, and will hopefully help speed things along. We'll see.
I haven't been keeping track of my daily totals for the last couple of days, but I have now officially completed 13 book pages (not including the page John did as a trial when he took on the job). Fortunately, there are a lot of excerpts of music in this section, so that reduces the amount of text, and will hopefully help speed things along. We'll see.
Friday, March 17, 2006
Work on Friday 3-17
Work in Progress: RANSOM
Status: Revising/Reworking/Typing into File
Goal: Finish revising/editing ASAP
Format: novel
Words to Date: Chapter One Done #5,790
Feeling: pretty good if take it in small steps, stressed out over sending to Nee, ready to be done
Comments: Typed One into file, sent to Nee, Started on hardcopy of Two
Work in Progress: RANSOM
Status: Revising/Reworking/Typing into File
Goal: Finish revising/editing ASAP
Format: novel
Words to Date: Chapter One Done #5,790
Feeling: pretty good if take it in small steps, stressed out over sending to Nee, ready to be done
Comments: Typed One into file, sent to Nee, Started on hardcopy of Two
For Thursday, March 16
Work in Progress: Godred story
Progress: I sat down last night and wrote out another 2 pages on my Godred story, *new words* that got me over the hump of endlessly rewriting the first bit. I have some previously written stuff that I will be able to plug right into it (but I was too tired to look for them last night). I already know that the end needs lots of work, but now I can take the section of my brain that has been ceaselessly thinking about the beginning and set it to work on the ending.
Eat my wake, Kee!
(Actually, compared to Kee's output, this is pretty pitiful. She's halfway up Mount Everest, and I am building a sand castle. We can't all be Kee, though.)
Work in Progress: Godred story
Progress: I sat down last night and wrote out another 2 pages on my Godred story, *new words* that got me over the hump of endlessly rewriting the first bit. I have some previously written stuff that I will be able to plug right into it (but I was too tired to look for them last night). I already know that the end needs lots of work, but now I can take the section of my brain that has been ceaselessly thinking about the beginning and set it to work on the ending.
Eat my wake, Kee!
(Actually, compared to Kee's output, this is pretty pitiful. She's halfway up Mount Everest, and I am building a sand castle. We can't all be Kee, though.)
Work on Wed & Thur 3/15 &3/16
Title: RANSOM
Editing hardcopy pages chapter by chapter. Will be forwarding completed work as it progresses to talented Nee for overall continuity and theme checks, as well as any gross misuse of the English language. Will need continued nagging and praise to complete this endeavor. Hope to post on chapter progress as each is completed.
Smell my stinky feet.
Chapter One: hardcopy edit done, needs typing into file
Title: RANSOM
Editing hardcopy pages chapter by chapter. Will be forwarding completed work as it progresses to talented Nee for overall continuity and theme checks, as well as any gross misuse of the English language. Will need continued nagging and praise to complete this endeavor. Hope to post on chapter progress as each is completed.
Smell my stinky feet.
Chapter One: hardcopy edit done, needs typing into file
Thursday, March 16, 2006
For Wednesday, March 15
Work in Progress: translation
Progress on Part 2: When I finished translating Section 2, I had 153 hand-written pages. Some of those were on lined pages, both sides, and some were on recycled paper with printing on the other side. These 153 pages were not all of Section 2, since John and I had already completed part of it.
Once John finished typing in my handwritten pages, we had 75 manuscript pages, double-spaced. The original number of pages in the book was only 20. So you can see that even for one column, it took roughly two typed pages of translation.
I proofread 29 pages of the manuscript on Wednesday.
Progress on Part 3: I translated 2-1/2 columns.
Interruptions: 3 loads of laundry, picking Hannah up from school at 3, taking Hannah to ballet at 5
Work in Progress: translation
Progress on Part 2: When I finished translating Section 2, I had 153 hand-written pages. Some of those were on lined pages, both sides, and some were on recycled paper with printing on the other side. These 153 pages were not all of Section 2, since John and I had already completed part of it.
Once John finished typing in my handwritten pages, we had 75 manuscript pages, double-spaced. The original number of pages in the book was only 20. So you can see that even for one column, it took roughly two typed pages of translation.
I proofread 29 pages of the manuscript on Wednesday.
Progress on Part 3: I translated 2-1/2 columns.
Interruptions: 3 loads of laundry, picking Hannah up from school at 3, taking Hannah to ballet at 5
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Kee asked a while back about what constitutes a short story. Practically speaking, I believe the word count ranges from 1,000 to 10,000 words. Looking at an old (and too-short) version of my Godred story, it was 2418 words according to the counter on MS Word.
Looked at plot-wise, a short story is typically a single event. I’ve heard the explanation that a novel covers a period of a character’s life, while a short story covers an episode in his or her life.
But in the process of wrestling with my Godred story, I’ve come to realize that, just like for a novel, you have to know your character’s past to know who he (I say this with Godred in mind) is now, and how he got to be in this situation, and how he is going to handle it. You just don’t get to tell all this stuff you know.
I am afraid that I haven’t dealt enough with Godred’s past, so every time I work on the (new) beginning of my story, I realize the next day that it won’t work exactly because of X, Y, or Z that I just figured out about his past. *facepalm*
This time I think I have it all sorted out—who he is and why. So I hope to (re)write the first scene tonight at bedtime. Seems that’s my best writing time. So cross your fingers for me that it works this time!
Looked at plot-wise, a short story is typically a single event. I’ve heard the explanation that a novel covers a period of a character’s life, while a short story covers an episode in his or her life.
But in the process of wrestling with my Godred story, I’ve come to realize that, just like for a novel, you have to know your character’s past to know who he (I say this with Godred in mind) is now, and how he got to be in this situation, and how he is going to handle it. You just don’t get to tell all this stuff you know.
I am afraid that I haven’t dealt enough with Godred’s past, so every time I work on the (new) beginning of my story, I realize the next day that it won’t work exactly because of X, Y, or Z that I just figured out about his past. *facepalm*
This time I think I have it all sorted out—who he is and why. So I hope to (re)write the first scene tonight at bedtime. Seems that’s my best writing time. So cross your fingers for me that it works this time!
For Tuesday, March 14
Work in Progress: translation
Progress: 1-1/3 columns
Interruptions: The morning was taken up with tutoring and a trip to the store, plus cleaning the stairwell in our building (this is our week for cleaning duty). I worked about 1-1/2 hours, then had to pick up Hannah from school. The rest of the afternoon was shot helping with homework, which I finally had to turn over to John because I was out of patience.
Comments: I promise myself to do better today.
Work in Progress: translation
Progress: 1-1/3 columns
Interruptions: The morning was taken up with tutoring and a trip to the store, plus cleaning the stairwell in our building (this is our week for cleaning duty). I worked about 1-1/2 hours, then had to pick up Hannah from school. The rest of the afternoon was shot helping with homework, which I finally had to turn over to John because I was out of patience.
Comments: I promise myself to do better today.
Work on Tuesday 3-14
Work in Progress: RANSOM
Status: Revising/Reworking/Pulling Out of my A**
Start Date: July 2003
Goal: shop to agent ASAP/before story kills me/before I trash it
Format: novel
Words to Date: 54,000 ish
Feeling: stressed out, losing story to editing but maybe that's ok because story was crap to begin with
Comments: will need continuous nagging and/or blatant praise to get through this, all family crises will need to be directed to other personnel for the duration
Monday, March 13, 2006
Saturday, March 11, 2006
Challenge!
I love the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest and plan to enter this year. I'm already polishing my first entry. You can find more info about the contest here. You can find my Dishonorable Mention for 2003 here (scroll halfway down the page to the Romance category). That was one of two entries I sent in.
Note that although the official deadline is April 15, they won't actually throw out anything you send late (possibly as late as June 30, although I wouldn't push it).
I love the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest and plan to enter this year. I'm already polishing my first entry. You can find more info about the contest here. You can find my Dishonorable Mention for 2003 here (scroll halfway down the page to the Romance category). That was one of two entries I sent in.
Note that although the official deadline is April 15, they won't actually throw out anything you send late (possibly as late as June 30, although I wouldn't push it).
For Friday, March 10
Work in Progress: Godred
Format: short story
I had been scared to even look at it, but it wasn't *so* bad. I did some revising last night, but I didn't add anything new past where I had already gotten to. But I know what it is going to be, so maybe I can squeeze in a little more writing before bed tonight.
Work in Progress: Godred
Format: short story
I had been scared to even look at it, but it wasn't *so* bad. I did some revising last night, but I didn't add anything new past where I had already gotten to. But I know what it is going to be, so maybe I can squeeze in a little more writing before bed tonight.
For Friday, March 10
Work in Progress: Translation
Finished Section 2! And a bit more than the first page of Section 3! I'm so excited, I can't stop using exclamation marks!
This translation is actually getting easier for me, so I'm picking up some speed, when I can work on it, that is. Hannah had a playdate Friday afternoon, and John was gone at a meeting, so with only one parent on duty, it was hard to fit in more translating. We are having some friends over for dinner, so I doubt I'll get much translating in around cleaning, grocery shopping, and cooking (actually, it's a Tex-Mex dinner, so the onus of cooking will be on John *grin*).
Work in Progress: Translation
Finished Section 2! And a bit more than the first page of Section 3! I'm so excited, I can't stop using exclamation marks!
This translation is actually getting easier for me, so I'm picking up some speed, when I can work on it, that is. Hannah had a playdate Friday afternoon, and John was gone at a meeting, so with only one parent on duty, it was hard to fit in more translating. We are having some friends over for dinner, so I doubt I'll get much translating in around cleaning, grocery shopping, and cooking (actually, it's a Tex-Mex dinner, so the onus of cooking will be on John *grin*).
Friday, March 10, 2006
Work on Thursday 3-9
Work in Progress: NO RELATION
Status: Writing-from the gut
Goal: get back on track after illness
Words to Date: #9391
New Words: 3/9 #1083
Creative Assistance: silence
Feeling: better, writing coming a little easier
Comments: stopped mid-scene even though could have finished, not writing at usual time and didn't want to get interrupted before I finished thought so I stopped at good spot for me to be able to continue later, posted update tonight to make for Nee's happy reading in the morning
Work in Progress: NO RELATION
Status: Writing-from the gut
Goal: get back on track after illness
Words to Date: #9391
New Words: 3/9 #1083
Creative Assistance: silence
Feeling: better, writing coming a little easier
Comments: stopped mid-scene even though could have finished, not writing at usual time and didn't want to get interrupted before I finished thought so I stopped at good spot for me to be able to continue later, posted update tonight to make for Nee's happy reading in the morning
Thursday, March 09, 2006
Work on Wed 3-8
Work in Progress: NO RELATION
Status: Writing-though not very well
Goal: today-write something, anything, today
Words to Date: #8308
New Words: 3/8 #562 Started Chapter Three
Creative Assistance: Bolero on repeat
Unplanned Interruptions: writers block
Feeling: still snotty
Comments: fighting for every word, quitting until feel better
Work in Progress: NO RELATION
Status: Writing-though not very well
Goal: today-write something, anything, today
Words to Date: #8308
New Words: 3/8 #562 Started Chapter Three
Creative Assistance: Bolero on repeat
Unplanned Interruptions: writers block
Feeling: still snotty
Comments: fighting for every word, quitting until feel better
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
For Tuesday, March 7
Part of Monday's words came from typing up a couple of vocabulary lists for my tutee; part of Tuesday's time was used up tutoring (which I enjoy more than I thought I would) and running a couple of errands.
Most of the rest of Tuesday was taken up with taking Hannah to the dentist and doctor for check-ups, and suffering from a sore throat.
I managed to review about 60 hand-written pages of the translation, though. John is going to start typing it up for me today, editing/revising as he goes. I finally finalized some of the terminology, so I wanted to be sure I had it all fixed before it got to him. I'll finish reviewing the rest of it this (Wednesday) morning and try to finish Section 2 as well.
Forward into battle!
Part of Monday's words came from typing up a couple of vocabulary lists for my tutee; part of Tuesday's time was used up tutoring (which I enjoy more than I thought I would) and running a couple of errands.
Most of the rest of Tuesday was taken up with taking Hannah to the dentist and doctor for check-ups, and suffering from a sore throat.
I managed to review about 60 hand-written pages of the translation, though. John is going to start typing it up for me today, editing/revising as he goes. I finally finalized some of the terminology, so I wanted to be sure I had it all fixed before it got to him. I'll finish reviewing the rest of it this (Wednesday) morning and try to finish Section 2 as well.
Forward into battle!
Tuesday, March 07, 2006
Work in Progress: Godred story
Status: re-writing, from scratch
Start Date: (original is lost in the mists of time) Monday, March 6
Goal: finally finish!
Format: short story
Pages to Date: 2 hand-written
Feeling: surprised that this story decided to request some action right now
Comments: I guess I am using a lot of my subconscious brain to massage the stories floating around in there, because as soon as I stop working each day, someone steps up and demands I write on their story next. This could get exhausting!
Status: re-writing, from scratch
Start Date: (original is lost in the mists of time) Monday, March 6
Goal: finally finish!
Format: short story
Pages to Date: 2 hand-written
Feeling: surprised that this story decided to request some action right now
Comments: I guess I am using a lot of my subconscious brain to massage the stories floating around in there, because as soon as I stop working each day, someone steps up and demands I write on their story next. This could get exhausting!
Work in Progress: Dragon Princess-Fetishist
Status: in-progress
Start Date: Sunday, March 5
Pages to Date: 6-ish
New Words: a couple of paragraphs and a little rewriting
Feeling: wish I were still in the original state of words flowing directly from brain to pen, but maybe I need more time to stew than other people
Comments: other chunks of the story are starting to fall into place in my brain, but I still need to link them together
Status: in-progress
Start Date: Sunday, March 5
Pages to Date: 6-ish
New Words: a couple of paragraphs and a little rewriting
Feeling: wish I were still in the original state of words flowing directly from brain to pen, but maybe I need more time to stew than other people
Comments: other chunks of the story are starting to fall into place in my brain, but I still need to link them together
Monday, March 06, 2006
For Sunday, March 5
Work in Progress: Dragon Princess-Fetishist story
Format: short story
Status: brand new, in-progress
Start Date: Sunday, March 5
Goal: finishing some day
Words to Date: 5+ hand-written pages
Creative Assistance: none
Unplanned Interruptions: Hannah couldn't sleep and tried to get in our bed.
Feeling: happy-dancing!
Comments: Bits and pieces of this story started popping in my head while I was cleaning the kitchen after dinner. I took a new notebook and new pen upstairs to bed with me and sat up 2 hours writing, real words, not just notes. And I have to say I am really pleased with how it has started. I can edit myself to death before I even finish writing anything, so I am not going to change a word of the first 4 pages (I thought of something to add to page 5 before I fell asleep), but just keep working. Go me!
Work in Progress: Dragon Princess-Fetishist story
Format: short story
Status: brand new, in-progress
Start Date: Sunday, March 5
Goal: finishing some day
Words to Date: 5+ hand-written pages
Creative Assistance: none
Unplanned Interruptions: Hannah couldn't sleep and tried to get in our bed.
Feeling: happy-dancing!
Comments: Bits and pieces of this story started popping in my head while I was cleaning the kitchen after dinner. I took a new notebook and new pen upstairs to bed with me and sat up 2 hours writing, real words, not just notes. And I have to say I am really pleased with how it has started. I can edit myself to death before I even finish writing anything, so I am not going to change a word of the first 4 pages (I thought of something to add to page 5 before I fell asleep), but just keep working. Go me!
For Sunday, March 5
Work in Progress: translation
Status: keep keepin'-on
New Columns: 2-1/2
Creative Assistance: hot drinks of every kind, including tea, coffee (caf and decaf), and chicken broth
Vicks cherry flavored gummi dragons ("throat dragon" rhymes in German) for a sore throat I'm fighting off
Planned Interruptions: 6-page letter to grandmother
Unplanned Interruptions: too many to list, mostly child-related
Feeling: not too bad, only slightly daunted by to-do list
Comments: Hannah is back in school today, then she and John will be at Swedish school until 6. So I will have close to 10 hours of uninterrupted work time. I hope to finish Section 2 today or tomorrow.
Work in Progress: translation
Status: keep keepin'-on
New Columns: 2-1/2
Creative Assistance: hot drinks of every kind, including tea, coffee (caf and decaf), and chicken broth
Vicks cherry flavored gummi dragons ("throat dragon" rhymes in German) for a sore throat I'm fighting off
Planned Interruptions: 6-page letter to grandmother
Unplanned Interruptions: too many to list, mostly child-related
Feeling: not too bad, only slightly daunted by to-do list
Comments: Hannah is back in school today, then she and John will be at Swedish school until 6. So I will have close to 10 hours of uninterrupted work time. I hope to finish Section 2 today or tomorrow.
Sunday, March 05, 2006
For Saturday, March 4
Got off to a slow start (see explanation here).
Only translated one column.
Went to the movies with my family.
Not bothering to beat myself up, because we were all getting a little stir-crazy and needed to get out of the house.
Got off to a slow start (see explanation here).
Only translated one column.
Went to the movies with my family.
Not bothering to beat myself up, because we were all getting a little stir-crazy and needed to get out of the house.
Work on Saturday 3-4
Work in Progress: NO RELATION
Status: Writing-From the gut
Goal: at this point-writing what's in my head until I run out
Words to Date: #7746
New Words: 3/4 #1280 Chapter Two Done
Creative Assistance: nada
Feeling: don't really want to be doing this right now
Comments: Still not in the groove but forcing myself to complete thought; ended at logical break, not ready to start next chapter tonight
Work in Progress: NO RELATION
Status: Writing-From the gut
Goal: at this point-writing what's in my head until I run out
Words to Date: #7746
New Words: 3/4 #1280 Chapter Two Done
Creative Assistance: nada
Feeling: don't really want to be doing this right now
Comments: Still not in the groove but forcing myself to complete thought; ended at logical break, not ready to start next chapter tonight
Saturday, March 04, 2006
Work on Friday 3-3
Work in Progress: NO RELATION
Status: Writing-From the gut
Goal: at this point-writing what's in my head until I run out
Words to Date: #6466
New Words: 3/3 #2121
Creative Assistance: nada
Unplanned Interruptions: husband stuff
Feeling: don't really want to be doing this right now
Comments: planned work time preempted and rescheduled for me; wasn't in the groove at that point but forced myself to do it anyway; ended up with pretty solid results-whoduhthunkit
Work in Progress: NO RELATION
Status: Writing-From the gut
Goal: at this point-writing what's in my head until I run out
Words to Date: #6466
New Words: 3/3 #2121
Creative Assistance: nada
Unplanned Interruptions: husband stuff
Feeling: don't really want to be doing this right now
Comments: planned work time preempted and rescheduled for me; wasn't in the groove at that point but forced myself to do it anyway; ended up with pretty solid results-whoduhthunkit
Friday, March 03, 2006
Work in Progress: piano translation
Status: writing
Book Columns Completed Today: 3
Equals Number of Hand-Written Pages: 10-3/4!
Pages Reviewed: 4-3/4
Creative Assistance: coffee, brownies, The Cure
Planned Interruptions: 2 loads of laundry, Hannah at home
Unplanned Interruptions: Hannah being at home and needing 15 kinds of help
Feeling: tired, disbelieving that I kept my nose to the grindstone today, and still managed to finish so little
Comments: There really is a WHOLE LOT of text on each page of the original book, so I shouldn't beat myself up too much, but I can't wait to get to the pages with lots of illustrations and sections of musical notation, i.e., very little text to translate.
Status: writing
Book Columns Completed Today: 3
Equals Number of Hand-Written Pages: 10-3/4!
Pages Reviewed: 4-3/4
Creative Assistance: coffee, brownies, The Cure
Planned Interruptions: 2 loads of laundry, Hannah at home
Unplanned Interruptions: Hannah being at home and needing 15 kinds of help
Feeling: tired, disbelieving that I kept my nose to the grindstone today, and still managed to finish so little
Comments: There really is a WHOLE LOT of text on each page of the original book, so I shouldn't beat myself up too much, but I can't wait to get to the pages with lots of illustrations and sections of musical notation, i.e., very little text to translate.
Thursday, March 02, 2006
March 1
Work in Progress: piano book translation
Status: writing
Goal: finish part 2 by end of weekend
Columns completed today: 2+
Creative Assistance: blueberry tea, Elton John
Planned Interruptions: child at home (school vacation), 2 loads of laundry
Unplanned Interruptions: John's Simpsons puzzle (damn him and my puzzle-love!)
Feeling: self-flagellating, depressed, ashamed
Comments: this is a big honkin' book, so one column is basically one page of a normal book, so I'll track my progress in terms of book-columns (input) or handwritten pages (output)
Work in Progress: piano book translation
Status: writing
Goal: finish part 2 by end of weekend
Columns completed today: 2+
Creative Assistance: blueberry tea, Elton John
Planned Interruptions: child at home (school vacation), 2 loads of laundry
Unplanned Interruptions: John's Simpsons puzzle (damn him and my puzzle-love!)
Feeling: self-flagellating, depressed, ashamed
Comments: this is a big honkin' book, so one column is basically one page of a normal book, so I'll track my progress in terms of book-columns (input) or handwritten pages (output)
Kee and I came up with the idea of using this blog as a way of adding a layer of accountability, so to speak, to a job that is essentially us, sitting alone and working away at our projects. So I think I will kick off my contributions to this blog with a list of dirty laundry. Here are all the writing projects I have piling up around here:
Projects I Work On Even When I Should Be Doing Other Things:
my other blog
Projects I Am Being Paid To Do:
translating a book on piano technique (in-progess)
editing a book on the brain (waiting for the last few chapters)
Projects For School (In German):
a 2-page assignment on how we describe the space around us (due April 1)
a 30-page paper on suppletion for a qualifying exam in linguistics (due in July)
Creative Writing Projects Currently Floating Around In My Head and In Notebooks I Drag Around With Me Everywhere:
a children's book (possibly series) on moving abroad
a short story titled "Dirty Work" about a dwarf with bad luck
a short story titled "Late Night Radio" about a call-in advice show in a world with a fantasy twist
Creative Writing Projects Currently Stuffed Under My Bed Until Further Inspiration Strikes:
a Cinderella story
bits and pieces of a fantasy novel
notes for a story about a dragon with a secret princess-magazine addiction
Projects I Work On Even When I Should Be Doing Other Things:
my other blog
Projects I Am Being Paid To Do:
translating a book on piano technique (in-progess)
editing a book on the brain (waiting for the last few chapters)
Projects For School (In German):
a 2-page assignment on how we describe the space around us (due April 1)
a 30-page paper on suppletion for a qualifying exam in linguistics (due in July)
Creative Writing Projects Currently Floating Around In My Head and In Notebooks I Drag Around With Me Everywhere:
a children's book (possibly series) on moving abroad
a short story titled "Dirty Work" about a dwarf with bad luck
a short story titled "Late Night Radio" about a call-in advice show in a world with a fantasy twist
Creative Writing Projects Currently Stuffed Under My Bed Until Further Inspiration Strikes:
a Cinderella story
bits and pieces of a fantasy novel
notes for a story about a dragon with a secret princess-magazine addiction
Wednesday, March 01, 2006
Work in Progress: NO RELATION
Status: Writing-From the gut
Start Date: 2-24-06
Goal: at this point-writing what's in my head until I run out
Format: novel
Words to Date: 4345
New Words: 2/24 #477
2/27 #830
2/28 #1636
3/1 #1402 Chapter one-complete
Creative Assistance: coffee, Bolero on repeat
Planned Interruptions: child at home
Unplanned Interruptions: last-minute field trip, mild heart problems induced by writing related stress over another project
Feeling: can't get it out fast enough
Comments: Recent idea for topic, pursued as means of escape from other project (see heart problems above), planning to work on both simulatneously, maybe will help with both projects. Accountability and scheduling seem to be having positive impact.
Status: Writing-From the gut
Start Date: 2-24-06
Goal: at this point-writing what's in my head until I run out
Format: novel
Words to Date: 4345
New Words: 2/24 #477
2/27 #830
2/28 #1636
3/1 #1402 Chapter one-complete
Creative Assistance: coffee, Bolero on repeat
Planned Interruptions: child at home
Unplanned Interruptions: last-minute field trip, mild heart problems induced by writing related stress over another project
Feeling: can't get it out fast enough
Comments: Recent idea for topic, pursued as means of escape from other project (see heart problems above), planning to work on both simulatneously, maybe will help with both projects. Accountability and scheduling seem to be having positive impact.
Test 1
Work in Progress: Title
Status: Writing, Editing, Revising, First Draft, Second Draft
Start Date: date
Goal: end date, shop to agent/publisher
Format: short story, novel, non-fiction book translation
Words to Date: number
New Words: number
Creative Assistance: coffee, music
Feeling: happy dancing, self-flagellation
Comments: more details on work
Work in Progress: Title
Status: Writing, Editing, Revising, First Draft, Second Draft
Start Date: date
Goal: end date, shop to agent/publisher
Format: short story, novel, non-fiction book translation
Words to Date: number
New Words: number
Creative Assistance: coffee, music
Feeling: happy dancing, self-flagellation
Comments: more details on work
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